ESCAURIZA LEADS SDSU WOMEN'S GOLF AFTER TWO ROUNDS AT UC IRVINE INVITE

Aztec sophomore alone in fifth after 36 holes

Source:  goaztecs.com

Photo:  Fernanda Escauriza courtesy goaztecs.com

October 30, 2017 (Santa Ana, Calif.) - The San Diego State women’s golf team had four individuals compete in the first two rounds of the UC Irvine Invitational on Monday at Santa Ana Country Club.

Through 36 holes, Fernanda Escauriza (Asuncion, Paraguay) finds herself alone in fifth place out of 71 golfers after shooting a combined 1-under 143 on the par-72, 6,129-yard course layout. The Aztec sophomore vaulted to the top of the leaderboard on the strength of an opening-round 69, but slipped four places in the afternoon thanks to a 74.

Escauriza offset a bogey with four birdies in round one to post her lowest 18-hole score of the season thus far. The Paraguayan national sank two additional birdies and 14 pars in round two; however, a triple bogey on the par-4, 400-yard No. 3 hastened her drop out of the top spot.

With her performance, Escauriza sits seven shots behind Colorado State’s front-runner Katrina Prendergast (-8), while Long Beach State’s Euna Pak and Idaho’s Sophie Hausmann are tied for second at 4-under, followed by UC Irvine’s Kaley In (-2).

In addition, junior Daniela Anastasi (La Jolla, Calif.) and freshman Cameron Lee (Tustin, Calif.) remain tied for 30th at 7-over 151. Anastasi completed rounds of 74-77, highlighted by two birdies on each card. Among her drains was an impressive conversion in the afternoon on the par-3, 170-yard No. 9, which ranked as the sixth-toughest hole of the day.

Lee, who is making her first appearance in a Scarlet and Black uniform, logged rounds of 73-78 on Monday, featuring a trio of birdies in the morning session. The SDSU rookie made birdie at No. 6 as well as on No. 9, before adding another at the par-3 14th to help ease the sting of four bogeys. Lee got off to a fast start with a successful drain on her first hole in round two at the par-3 17th, but was unable to overcome a plague of seven bogeys despite closing strong with four consecutive pars.

The SDSU contingent also included Kitty Tam (Hong Kong, China), who finished the day in a tie for 62nd at 17-over 161 after notching rounds of 82-79. The Aztec junior struggled to find a rhythm on Monday, with eight bogeys and three doubles overshadowing a four-birdie effort in round one. Tam came back with 11 pars and a birdie in the afternoon, but five additional bogeys and a triple prevented any gain on the leaderboard.

The UC Irvine Invitational concludes on Tuesday with the four Aztec players teeing off for the final round, starting at 9:15 a.m. on hole No. 10.

UC Irvine Invitational

Day One Results

Santa Ana C.C.

Santa Ana, Calif.

Par 72, 6,129 yards

Individual Leaders (Top 5 of 70 players + SDSU)        

1. Katrina Prendergast, Colorado State                         70-66—136 (-8)

T2. Euna Pak, Long Beach State                                     70-70—140 (-4)

T2. Sophie Hausmann, Idaho                                         71-69—140 (-4)

4. Kaley In, UC Irvine                                                       73-69—142 (-2)

5. Fernanda Escauriza, SDSU^                                       69-74—143 (-1)

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T30. Daniela Anastasi, SDSU^                                       74-77—151 (+7)

T30. Cameron Lee, SDSU^                                             73-78—151 (+7)

T62. Kitty Tam, SDSU^                                                   82-79—161 (+17)

^ - Competing as an individual

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